Condition Damage...Good way to level?

Im thinking about making either a Ranger or Engineer. Havent played since a few months after launch but want to give the game another try while waiting for 5.2 to be released. I have never played either class but are conditions good for leveling? I assume they are just GW2's version of DoTs but I cant really multi dot like I can on my Lock or SPriest so I assume you just build up stacks on a single target and the higher they get the more they tick for? Is that how they work? I know mobs can only have 25 stacks of bleeds on them at a time but for solo leveling that shouldnt be a problem. Just wondering which of the two can stack them for the most damage? A shortbow ranger with traps or a Pistol/Pistor Engineer? Also I read Engineers have all sorts of issues when it comes to surviving. Would I be better off going Pistol/Shield instead?

bleeds stack in number up to 25 for the mob. Burning and poison stack duration so the amount of time the burn/poison is on the target is extended. I assume confusion stacks up to 25 but its duration is usually short so i dont see it that high. Shortbow ranger with traps is good condition with the bleed stacks you can get but condition damage specs are always weaker in large groups as your stacks dont get applied in case of bleeds if the target already has 25 stacks, or your burning/poison gets put in a Q behind ppl that applied it before you.

Usually engineers rely on their kits to do their damage, so not sure about using regular weapons.

honestly, from my experience with and engineer stay as far away from condition dmg as possible.
seriously capped DoTs in this day and age is pathetic, even the crappiest diablo-clone has figured out how to do separate rolling dots.

Since nobody seems to be addressing your question in the title here goes.
No conditions aren't a good way to level. The reason for this is simple, ramp up time.

A ranger needs to either blow all utilities to get bleeds going or be flanking all the time. If you imagine you're fighting at max range with your shortbow and your pet is "tanking" you'll still have to run until you're flanking dealing 0 condition damage in this time.

I don't know engineers as well but the first "issue" is that you'll only be able to get 4 stacks of bleed up while you're aiming for something around 8-10 for quick kills (in leveling you're looking for the fastest way to kill foes).

The reason why in WoW dotting is so effective is multidots and the fact that you can kite mobs for ages without losing aggro. In GW2 this isn't the case, the only way of multi dotting is aggroing then running around until everything is clumped up and then using your AoE conditions (traps/grenade kit) You're far more efficient just going with raw damage.

Now if you're adamant on leveling with conditions engineer is probably better than ranger.

Before I quit I used a dual wielding sword warrior and could roll 11-14 bleeds solo in my regular rotation. Not to mention if I used my big CDs I could solo cap to 25 myself for about 3-5 seconds.

Now equip a GS and kill Veteran mobs in one HB...

Originally Posted by Doozerjun

quite honestly it doesn't matter for leveling

You could be brain dead except to know how to dodge, move, use a basic auto attack, and you'll level just fine.

While this is true on it's own it's not what's being asked. The question is "is condi a good way of leveling" and the answer is no...
With that point you could say going full out healing/tough/vit is a viable way of leveling (it is) but it'll just take you a looong time.

GS was my weapon swap it was a lot of fun leveling. Sadly I liked swords more started doing hardcore invested crafting in condition damage, really felt like trash in pvp and turned me off. Felt like I wasted tons of time and energy crafting stuff that was for an inferior spec.

OT: I have tinkered with the engineer some but what I would say for you is look at what you want to do and what synergies you like and base your stat choice off that.

While this is true on it's own it's not what's being asked. The question is "is condi a good way of leveling" and the answer is no...
With that point you could say going full out healing/tough/vit is a viable way of leveling (it is) but it'll just take you a looong time.

Well maybe you are right. I've never really timed it but I'm leveling a warrior at the moment as a predominately condition damage based build. Sword/Sword bleeds and Longbow burning, I seem to be mowing down mobs just as fast if not faster than my other professions I've played with a more power based build.

I just have tried the melee classes (Thief, Warrior, Guardian) and just didnt like them. They were just boring to play. Elementalist requires too much work, I cant figure out what Mesmers do, and Necros are meh cause minions are broken.

I leveled my engineer as condition dmg dealer, did not really have an issue. Though I kept my condition damage as high as possible with upgraded gear and such. Feeling it went faster then my glass cannon warrior.

Ranger with Axe+Torch along with traps is pretty good. i leveled as a condition ranger and took mobs down pretty fast. I'd say go for Skirmishing and wilderness survival. Skirmishing gives you some traits that buff your traps and wilderness survival gives you toughness and +condition damage plus its traits can help keep you alive a bit longer. I'd use Entangle as my elite so you can use it to keep mobs inside your traps to get the most damage from them.

Gonna go with the engineer they just seem cool and I cant think of any class in the 10 MMOs I have played thats its even close too. Also forgot about the other cool stuff like grenades, Elixir gun, and Flame thrower. Every single other class is basically another class from an MMO. Yes even Mesmers...EQ enchanter comes to mind...sort of. Maybe just cause they have mes in their name lol and thats all I ever did on my enchanter was mez crap.

Gonna go with the engineer they just seem cool and I cant think of any class in the 10 MMOs I have played thats its even close too. Also forgot about the other cool stuff like grenades, Elixir gun, and Flame thrower. Every single other class is basically another class from an MMO. Yes even Mesmers...EQ enchanter comes to mind...sort of. Maybe just cause they have mes in their name lol and thats all I ever did on my enchanter was mez crap.

Engineer got really buffed with the latest patch, when kits come to mind. If you have some lifesteal food and a reasonable amount of crit, you can't die if you pull around 5-6 mobs and just use the flamethrower/grenade kit. Nearly every crit heals you and the damage the mobs do on you, you get it back. although i do suggest taking the elixer that convers conditions into boons as 14 blood stacks can drop your health fairly low :P